Pails



June 1'1, 19% v. A. CARLHN 2,839,220

7 FAILS Filed Aug. 12, 1957 INVENTOR.

VINCENT A CA RL/N QWIXZ Z United States Pater;

PAILS Vincent A. Carlin, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application August 12, 1957, Serial N 0. 677,536

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-95) This invention relates to improvements on pails and more particularly to pails having comparatively squared corners with a pair of supports in opposite corners arranged to mount respectively, each end of an ingeniously designed handle which may be supported in an upright and operative position or supported in an inoperative position with a major portion of the sides of the handle substantially parallel with and adjacent two of the sides of the pail.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a square cornered pail or container of the stated character which is simple in construction, strong and effective, and easy to assemble and clean.

Another object of the invention is to provide a com paratively square cornered pail or container provided with diametrically opposite corner supports which have apertures to receive the free ends of a single wire handle and with said ends bent in such a manner that the handle may be supported in an upright operative position or in a horizontal inoperative position.

The invention resides further in certain structural details hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the pail embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the handle with the solid lines showing the handle in rested position and the dotted lines showing the handle in operative position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the free end of the handle illustrating the peculiar shape in which the end is bent and its relationship with the pail support.

With reference to the drawings, the pail, in a preferred form, comprises a flat rectangularly shaped base 16 with side walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 extending upwardly at sub stantially right angles to said base with the corners adja' cent each pair of said walls, relatively squared.

The handle supports at diametrically opposite corners of the pail are formed as fiat ribbon-like strips of metal 15 bent adjacent each end to provide extensions 15a and 1517. Each extension is soldered or otherwise secured to one of said walls; for example, one extension 15a is secured to wall 11 while one extension 15a is secured to wall 12. In the case of the other support the extension 15a is secured to wall 13, and the remaining extension 155 to wall 14. In mounting position, the two strips 15 are opposite from each other, as shown in Figure l. The Web portion 15a of each handle support extends diagonally across the corner of the pail and is spaced from the pail walls to allow initial insertion of the handle ends as well as subsequent actuation of the handle to raised or lowered position. The web portion of each strip is provided with an enlarged aperture 16 of sufiicient size as to readily receive the free end of a handle 17. The handle has a diagonally directed hand grip portion 18, intermediate portions 18a which follow the side walls 11 and 13, and the end portions identified generally as 19. Each intermediate portion passes over its respective support 15 and is then bent downwardly at 20, then doubled back at 21 so as to pass through the aperture 16. After passing Geo through the aperture, the handle end is then bent downwardly again at 22 and again doubled back so as to cross the underside of support 15 and provide a stop portion 23. When the handle is in the inoperative position as shown in Figure 1, the hand grip portion 18 remains near the upper edge of the pail due to the stop 23 engaging the underside of support 15. When the handle is raised to upright or carrying position, the stop 23 swings over and again engages the underside of the support 15 to hold the handle in upright position. It will be noted, viewing Fig. 2 that the intermediate portions of the handle are bent at 24 so that when the handle is raised to upright position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the hand grip portion passes slightly beyond true vertical (or dead center) and gravity holds the handle in upright position.

There are particular advantages in the general construction of a pail of the instant invention. The straight flat sides square up to any elevation taking up less storage area and having greater supporting area with little if any danger of tipping over. In addition, the squared corners provide an inherent pouring medium not found in the round or oval pails used at present. In addition, the combination of the squared corners with attached metal strips pro vide support for a handle which, with single built-in bent ends, enables the handle to be disposed in operative or inoperative position with a minimum of time and constructional expense.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

l. A pail comprised of side walls defining a non-circular enclosure closed oflf at one end with a bottom wall; such side walls at their areas of juncture defining corner areas; brackets secured to the side walls in the corner areas and having apertures therein; a singular handle having arm portions generally following two contiguous side walls and a hand grip portion interconnecting the arm portions; the arm portions terminating with free ends which are bent into generally 3-shaped configurations with the upper legs of the S passing over the brackets, the intermediate legs or the S passing through the bracket apertures and serving as the pivots for effecting swinging of the handle and the lower legs of the S doubling back and passing beneath the brackets, whereby such lower legs engage the brackets to limit swinging movement of the handle in either handle raising or handle lowering direction.

2. A pail as set forth in claim 1 wherein the arm portions of the handle are additionally bent so that when the handle is raised to the position of handle raising limits, the hand grip portion and the arm portions have passed true vertical and gravity causes the handle to remain upright.

3. A pail as set forth in claim 1 wherein the distance between the lower and intermediate legs of the S is greater than the distance from the bracket aperture to the lower edge of the bracket, whereby limited swinging movement of the handle about the intermediate legs as pivots is effected.

4. A pail as set forth in claim 3 wherein the side walls of the pail define a generally rectangular cross sectional area but rounded at the corners to define pouring spouts at each of said corners.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,126,658 Roughton Jan. 26, 1915 1,822,102 Lidke Sept. 8, 1931 1,843,164 Johnson Feb. 2, 1932 2,654,115 Kafer Oct. 6, 1953 

